The SPC Public Health Division (PHD) is dedicated to improving the health, and therefore the future, of all Pacific Islanders. PHD strives to promote and protect the health of Pacific Island peoples. It advocates a holistic approach to health, supports sustainable capacity development, and facilitates and promotes collaboration with partners. I invite you to explore the diverse activities of the SPC Public Health Division through this website and encourage you to contact us if you would like to learn more.

Almost three months after Cyclone Pam descended upon Vanuatu, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and their partners continue to monitor, investigate and respond to potential disease outbreaks across the country.

“With many houses and sanitation facilities destroyed and yet to be rebuilt, people have limited access to clean water and are living with poor hygiene,” said local Disease Surveillance Officer George Worwor.

The chikungunya virus has now reached half of the Pacific Island countries and territories and is likely to continue spreading to non-affected countries in the region and other parts of the world.

Surveillance experts at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) closely monitor this emerging disease in collaboration with countries, territories and regional partners of the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network.

The Eleventh Pacific Health Ministers meeting has commenced on Yanuca Island, Fiji, today, at which the Pacific ministers will review progress over the past 20 years in health and chart the course for the years to come.

The first Pacific Health Ministers meeting in 1995 was also held on Yanuca Island, where ministers created a unifying Healthy Islands vision for Pacific island countries and areas.